The 4 Thieves
by HexWa
Summary: About thieves, mages, paladins and bards
1. The Capture

*** All right this is my first story so I'm sorry if it isn't very good. It's based on D&D and if you want a character in the story just make a third edition D&D character and put it in a review. I'll try to put it in. I can't promise that every character will be put in. Oh and no power players. Level 1 to 10 only.***  
  
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CHAPTER 1  
  
Kriff looked around the corner of the alley into the busy street. Behind him his friends where looking around nervously for any city guard who might find the four street urchins suspicious and might investigate. Finally Kriff spotted a merchant without guards and silently gestured the others to come closer. "All right Kriff, who's the mark?" Ember whispered. "The merchant, halfway across the street, red and blue clothes, overweight, balding." He whispered back. The others nodded when they had spotted him. "All right, Ember & Runt you'll bump into him and then Anya and me will cut his purse. The other children nodded. All right here we go!  
  
Rudolf Vre'star was very pleased with himself. After a day of work at the bazaar he'd managed to sell most of his merchandise. He'd grinned to himself when he thought about all those nobles who had paid his high prices. He had bought the merchandise on the marketplace in undercity for about one tenth of the price he sold them for. Tonight he was gonna buy ev... ungh, something bumped into him and fell down. Surprised he looked down and saw a young girl lying on the street. "You stupid street rat, watch where you're walking." The girl started to cry and a little boy came running towards her, "Sis, He Sis are you all right?" "th..th...that man called me a street rat." She sniffled. People where drawn towards the noise and where pointing angry fingers towards Rudolf.  
  
Anya and Kriff watched the people gather around the trio and silently left the alley. They squirmed their way trough the masses towards the merchant.  
  
Rudolf was annoyed! No annoyed was not harsh enough he was mad. These children where ruining his reputation. Suddenly he felt something moving at his side but he decided to ignore it and handle these more pressing matters. If his reputation were ruined in the undercity he would have to pay much higher prices at the marketplaces there. He suddenly realised that the two kids where running away. Then he realised he'd been tricked. He felt panic surge trough him as he felt for his purse,. GONE!!!! With a bellow of rage he went into pursuit of the two children.  
  
"Faster Ember, he's coming after us!"  
  
"I know Runt, I'm not blind. We gotta split up."  
  
"All right I'll meet you at the Guild House."  
  
"Don't get caught Runt!"  
  
"Good luck Ember!"  
  
And with that the duo split of into two side streets. Rudolf was confused for a second but then decided to follow the more easily to spot girl.  
  
Ember cursed: "Damn, he's coming after me. She knew that she could easily outrun him but she had to be care.. WHAM!!! She ran right into a huge man who instantly grabbed her and carried her to the merchant. She kicked and screamed but he simply put his hand over her mouth and hitting him was like punching a brick wall. So she stopped and just hung there over his shoulder totally humiliated. She just hoped that none of the guild could see her now.  
  
Rudolf came to a sliding halt when he saw that one of his servants, a huge man named ox, had captured the girl. He led ox and the girl into an alley and he pushed a dagger against her throat. "If you scream I'll kill you, understand?" he whispered into her ear. She merely nodded. "Alright, remove your hand Ox." The huge man removed his hand and she shot him an angry look. He merely grinned.  
  
"How did you know I was gonna be near him?" She asked.  
  
"See these little rings we wear? They are rings of telepathy, I warned Ox here that you were coming his way and that he should be ready for you. Now little girl, where is my gold?"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"Look girl, don't make me damage you, you'll probably bring up a pretty good price at the bazaar. So just tell me what I want to know and I'll try to find a good owner for you."  
  
"Forget it, " She growled at him. "Damn, I gotta get out of here or I'll end up a slave girl."  
  
"Not talking huh. Well then, I can't start hitting you since then the money I could get for you will lower and if I bring you to the city guard. So I will lock you into my house and sell you tomorrow."  
  
"What? No, you can't."  
  
"Well then you would have to tell me where you are meeting your friends. And maybe, just maybe I'll let you go."  
  
She bit into her lip and considered her choices for a second: "Well let's hope I get a proper master", she said with a smile."  
  
"Curse that little brat." Rudolf shouted after he came out of the basement where he had locked her in. He had to think this over. Hmmmm, maybe the other child would come to save her. Then he could capture that child too and either get his gold from him or sell him to at the bazaar. "Ah well, I'll have Ox set out some guards and everything will be fine." 


	2. The Rescue

CHAPTER 2  
  
"Hey Runt, where's Ember?" Kriff asked looking around the safe house.  
  
He and Anya had just returned from the guild house where they had delivered the money. Runt was already there.  
  
"Sh.Sh.She got caught, Kriff." He stuttered.  
  
"WHAT??? HOW??? She must be 10 times faster then that fat merchant."  
  
"I.. I know, but.. but.. somehow a huge man was waiting for her and captured her. She didn't saw him coming at her."  
  
Kriff cursed heavily. "All Right, you know where the merchant lives?" He asked Runt.  
  
Runt could only nod, He had never seen Kriff so angry.  
  
"All Right, Anya you create a distraction. Runt, I need you to try to locate her cell keys, if you can't find them fast enough, then forget it. We can always pick the lock. I'll keep hidden and backstab anyone who disturbs you while you free Ember, Got it.  
  
Runt and Anya nodded. They all quickly changed into black clothes which where for better for use at night. During daytime you fall out when wearing black clothes between all the cheerful street colours. They also got some special equipment next to the normal stuff. Runt took his masterwork lock picks, Anya took some alchemist fire and Kriff took his magical short sword.  
  
Anya couldn't help herself: "Are you sure you wanna take that with you Kriff?"  
  
Kriff nodded grimly: "I know it's dangerous because it's intelligent and might try to take me over again, but this time I'm prepared for it. And we need all the help we can get."  
  
'Sigh' "I guess you're right"  
  
"Of course I am, have I ever steered you guys wrong?"  
  
"Humm, Let's not go into that one, we got to save Ember!"  
  
"All right then let's go!"  
  
  
  
Anya chuckeld, she couldn't help her self, She loved playing with fire. She lit her alchemist fire and threw it at the roof of the large mansion. It immediately caught fire. Anya smiled but then saw some guard coming and decided that Kriff and Runt had enough distraction and so she ran. Quickly she jumped in a nearby shadow and hid. Then her heart skipped a beat, they guards where pointing towards her hiding place and she remembered. The uptown had special half-orc guards. Half-Orc could she in the darkness even though only in black and white they could see her. With a silent curse she jumped out of her hiding place and started to run. Come on girl you can go faster, Run run run. But she was getting tired, she had worked all day and now she had to work again. The guards on the other hand where just on duty and still completely fit. I'm not gonna make it! I don't want to get caught. I'll go to jail.  
  
"In here child."  
  
What? Who? O what does it matter, it can't be worse then the guards. And with that Anya jumped into the alley.  
  
  
  
Runt sneaked trough the dark room. Damn it! Where are those key's, I'm running out of time. This is the fourth room I'm going trough. Runt moved silently trough another room not noticing the 2 man circling him from behind. All that does it, I'm going to the basement to get Ember. And he turned around to get to the door. Only to see 2 huge man leaping towards him. As an instant reflex he threw himself to the ground for once being able to use his short size. He started to make a sprint towards the door. I'm gonna make it, I'm gonna make it. The men had gotten back up and where in pursuit. He was nearing the door when the fat merchant stepped from the shadows and runt ran right into him. Damn, how can such a fat man hide that good. Then he saw one of the men move to him with a club and everything wend black.  
  
  
  
Kriff was in a fight. Not with an enemy but with his own weapon. Aura was an ancient and powerful paladin but right before she was about to slay a mighty necromancer he cast a trap the soul spell on her and trapped her in a short sword. For millennia she was in his possessions as he had managed to become a lich. But after 5000 years a party of 20 clerics attacked his tower and managed to slay the lich. After the fight only 3 clerics where left and they saved many holy object from his collection including Aura's sword. But on there way back they where ambushed by a group of bandits. The party was now so small that they didn't stand a chance against the bandits. So Aura came into possession of the thieves guild of the shady hand. After lying in a storage for a couple of months she was given to a young thief of about 9 years. To her surprise she could communicate with him. Since she could only communicate with good people this came as a shock to both her and the young thief. When he tried to use her against a peasant she refused and put all her willpower into it. To was shocked when she suddenly felt a body instead of a solid immobile form. She was in control of the young thief, but as she stood there enjoying the senses she felt the boy struggling to get back in control. So she had to act quick she helped the peasant back up and told him to leave quickly. The peasant had just left the street or she felt losing control. Back into the sword she immediately fell into a deep sleep. When she awakened she was inside a dark house, the young thief was hidden inside the shadows and was about to backstab a rather overweight merchant. Noooo, she couldn't allow that. She started to resist his will to move.  
  
Kriff cursed silently: "Not now, I need to rescue Runt." But he couldn't move a muscle in his body, his sword was resisting him. The kept fighting each other even long after the merchant and his guards had left the room. He silently sneaked out of the house and returned to the safe house. 


	3. After the Rescue

CHAPTER 3  
  
Anya was just in the alley and she saw the man who had called her make a few gestures with his hand while mumbling some words. The the guards came into view next to the alley entrance.  
  
"Where did she go?" the front men asked to the one behind him. "I don't know captain, if I remember correctly there is a alley entrance near here but I can't see it."  
  
Anya stared at them with big eyes: "They didn't see her, why didn't they see her? One time they looked right into the alley. Why didn't they see her?" Then the guards moved on and left the street. Anya looked with awe and fear at the man who saved her but couldn't see his face. "Um, excuse me sir but how did you do that?" Although see couldn't see his face she knew he was smiling. "Come on in and I'll explain it.  
  
  
  
Ember was bored. She had expected to be saved now by the others. Suddenly see heard the door above the stairs go open, "Runt is that you?" "Yes it" She heard the merchant say. The cell was thrown open and a small bundel was thrown in. She quickly jumped at it. When she saw runt's face she was terrified, quickly she checked his pulse. With a relieve she noticed he was only nocked out.  
  
"Hey Runt, Runt. Wake up."  
  
"Huh, What? Ooooohhhhh, my head."  
  
"Runt what happened?"  
  
"Hummm, well. We where gonna rescue you. Everything went rather well. But then Kriff didn't stop the merchant ambushing me. Either he froze or he had trouble with that cursed sword again. What's going to happen to us now Em?"  
  
"Don't call me that and I think that where gonna be sold as slaves unless the money is returned."  
  
"What but Kriff and Anya went by the guild before returning to the safe house, the money is gone."  
  
Ember froze. "But that means,.. The guild would never pay for a couple of cutpurses."  
  
"I know Ember. So I guess where gonna get sold. Maybe we can escape our new masters."  
  
"I wouldn't count on it. They ussually keep a sharp eye on new slaves."  
  
"Well let's get some sleep, maybe we can escape tomorrow. Good Night Em"  
  
"Don't call me, aaahh forget it. Good night Runt."  
  
  
  
Kriff was alone in the safe house. Anya had not returned. Maybe she had been caught. Kriff was getting pretty desperate now. He had seen some of the equipment in the house and had come to the conclusion that the merchant must be a slaver trader. That meant that early tomorrow they where probably where gonna be moved to the hightown. And hightown has well guarded against thieves. Maybe he could,... The door of the safe house blew open and three men in black clothes and cloaks came in. The men in the middle wore the mark of a black captain. Only the Guild Master stands above the black captains. Kriff Black Purse you've been summoned for training in the guild house. You will come with us now.  
  
"But sir. It has to wait. My friend were captured, I have to free them."  
  
"YOU GO AGAINST THE WILL OF THE MASTER?" boomed the voice of the captain.  
  
"No of course not." He whispered. "But my friends are in trouble."  
  
"We know. We've been following your group. And you are the only one left."  
  
"What? The only one but anya?"  
  
"She defected, the two others were caught and will be sold tomorrow, that leaves only you."  
  
"Uhmmm, you're sure we can't save them?"  
  
"No, this is the way new initiates are chosen. From the small cutpurse groupes that wander the streets until only one is left. That one then is offered to become a new initiate."  
  
"Ok, I'll do it. Can I bring some stuff?"  
  
"Only of a magical kind."  
  
Kriff sighed. And thought about it for a short amount of time. Then he decided to take the short sword.  
  
Together with the three guild members he left the safe house that had been home for the 3 years he and his friends had been together. He looked back one last time and then braced himself for his new life.  
  
  
  
Anya had listened with rapture to Rune's story about being a bard and the powers and advantages that came with it. Meeting kings and powerful wizards, joining legendary adventurer groups.  
  
"Can you train me?" she asked him.  
  
"Well I wouldn't have saved you if I hadn't thought you had the power and will to become a bard. But it means you will have to betray the thieves guild you are a member of now."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because they wont let you go and join the College of Sound. You see your thieves guild doesn't really like us."  
  
"Well the guild doesn't like a lot of people so that isn't so unusual. I will have to tell Kriff, Runt and Ember that I'm leaving."  
  
"That won't be necessary. Ember and Runt are prisoners of the merchant and Kriff was told by the guild that you turned traitor and left for thieves training. There is nobody to go back for."  
  
"Can I sleep about it for a night?"  
  
"Sure, there is a chamber prepared for you on the top floor. There are also some clothes for you. Do you want to take a bad first?"  
  
"YES, uhm, I mean yes please. I'm the only one of the group who liked being clean. I most of the time wasn't because it's harder to identify a filthy child than a clean young girl."  
  
"All right then, I will have a tub filled for you with hot water."  
  
"Thanks you."  
  
"No problem and good night miss." 


	4. Ember's Flashback

*** First I wanted to thank Icy Mike Molson for his comments on the story. I can now improve some mistakes. I also managed to get the win2000 CD from the system operator at school. He was very unwilling to give it up since the last time we got it we used it to tackle the school network. But now I got it and I can install the English spell check.***  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 4  
  
She yawned and slowly opened her eyes. Looking around the small cellar she noticed Runt sleeping on the ground. She sighed and wrapped the one blanket Rudolf had given them around him. She smiled at the sounds he made. He was dreaming of his life before being a street kid. She sighed and let her mind wander back to the time before she was a member of Kriff's group.  
  
  
  
Ember? Wake up little one, time for school. Awwww Mom I don't wanna go. You have to girl, come on Ylia is going too, you can walk together. All right mom, I'm coming. Quickly she brushed her hair and slipped in a blue dress and went downstairs. Morning Mom. Good Morning sweetie. Did you sleep well? I sure did, what's for breakfast? I got you some bread and eggs. Mmmm yummy, thanks mom. While Ember was eating her breakfast Ylia came barging in. Good Morning Miss Mayle. Morning Ylia, want some breakfast? Nope already had some at home. You ready Ember? Al..Mos..ia. She said while putting the last piece of bread in her mouth. Bye Mom. Bye sweetie, have a nice day at school.  
  
Hours later at the end of the day Ember and Ylia are walking back home. All Right Em, this is my street. I know Ylia, will I see you again tomorrow? Of course you will, you're mom would skin me alive if I didn't walk you to school. Just because you're a little bit older than me does not mean that I should be treated like a baby. "giggle" I wouldn't call 4 years a little bit Em. Ill see you tomorrow Em. Bye Ylia. And with that the two girls said goodbye and split up. Ember walked towards the end of the street where her house was. Mmmm, I hope mom is having dinner ready soon, I'm starving. She opened the door and froze. Mom? MOM? The older woman was lying on the ground. Mom, what happened Mom? Huh, sweetie? You. got to. run! But mom! Run sweetie please. O. OK mom. She heard somebody coming down the stairs and started running towards the door. The kid's getting away, GET HER! Ember sprinted through the door and came to a slipping halt. Where could see go everybody she knew lived at the other side of the city except.. Ylia. She ran towards the street where Ylia lived. Uhmmmm, now which house was it again? Oh, I wish I went there more often. Come on Em, there right behind you, remember. Come on Remember. The eight house at the left. It just popped into her head and she started running again. Please little girl, stop running. We don't want to harm you. You're lying, you hurt my mommy. That's only because she attacked us. How can she have attacked you she doesn't even own a weapon! "sigh" You don't get, she,. On that moment I reached the door off Ylia's house. I threw it open and ran inside. As I ran into the living room I came to a sudden halt. Inside Ylia was surrounded by 4 of the same persons as in my house. They were dressing her in the same outfit as they were wearing. Hey Em, You're going too? I froze while my mind tried to process the information. Ylia has betrayed me. Shot trough my mind. And before Ylia could say another word Ember had run out the door again and jumped trough the gap between the two persons who had followed her. She fled trough the city and was pleased to notice that her followers couldn't tumble trough the huge masses of people and even though she couldn't get rid of them, they could not catch her. This would be a lot of fun if it wasn't so serious. I wish Ylia was here to play with me. NO, Ylia is with them she's not a nice girl. Damn it, I'm getting tired. Hey kid, in here. Ember looked for the source of the sound and saw that it came from a child in a alley. Ah what the heck, I got nothing to lose anyway. She took a sprint towards the allay and felt the child grab her and pull her in a opening behind some boxes. Quickly he shoved the boxes before the hole and covered the hole from the inside with some bricks. I looked around and found myself inside a small room. One corner was filled with hay and a large blanket was thrown over it. Inside another corner was a small table with some rusty plates and mugs. She looked around and saw the boy remove the stones from the doorway. I gotta remove the so that Anya can get in later. Why were those men chasing you anyway? I don't now, I think they are slavers but I don't know for sure. She smiled: Thanks for saving me, I'm Ember. He grinned: No problem Madam, I'm Kriff pleased to meet you. 


	5. The True Past

CHAPTER 5  
  
PoV: Ember  
  
With a snap Ember came out of her daydream. She saw Runt was waking up and so retrieved the blanket and folded it up so that they wouldn't have to sit on the cold floor. "Morning Runt." He yawned "morning Em." She sighed: "Don't call me that, you now it brings back bad memories." "Sorry Ember, I keep forgetting that."  
  
Suddenly a loud noise of a metal door being opened sounded trough the small prison. She had to close her eyes because of the sudden sunlight that penetrated the darkness of the prison. She became nervous as Rudolf walked in with a grin on his face. Her eyes flicked to the door but she was discouraged when she saw Ox standing in the opening. The man was so huge that there wasn't a single space where they could fit trough. Then Rudolf started talking: "Well kiddies, it's time to go soon." He grabbed Runt and Ox came forward and could Her which he managed easily. They threw the 2 screaming and kicking children over their shoulders and went up the stairs.  
  
They entered a large room with 2 tubs with warm water in it and a few towels lay on the ground. "All right Kids, bathe and I better not find a spot after you're done." Rudolf said. Runt who hated bathes yelled: "No I won't!" and tried to make a run for the door. Ox simply grabbed the him, ripped of his clothes and threw him in the bath tub. Ember gulped and started to undress while trying really hard not to blush. The two men were making disgusting suggestions, she shot the two man a angry look and as soon as she had her clothes off she slipped into the tub. After washing herself she came to the conclusion that at some point she had to come out and dry herself. She looked at the two man again: "Could you please leave or at least turn around?" Rudolf sighed: "Oh, all right." He nodded to Ox and they both turned around. She sighed with relieve and quickly slit out of the tub and dried herself off fast. She slipped back into her clothes. She noticed that Runt was also back in his clothes. "All Right, Were ready." "Well it's about time. Let's go."  
  
When they came to the front door Rudolf went out first. She saw a large coach standing in front of the building. Rudolf was mumbling some words. She gasped, for a second she could have sworn that a shining dome surrounded the coach but then it was gone. Then Ox pushes the two children into the coach. The windows of the coach were black so you couldn't see into the coach. She wanted to say something to Runt but was horrified to find out that no sound left her mouth. She hit the against the glass of the coach but that didn't make any sound either. She realised that whatever Rudolf had cast must have drawn away all the sound.  
  
After a short ride in the coach they felt it stop again. The doors swung open and she saw Ox pushing, no herding more people into the coach. When they started riding again there were 12 persons inside the coach.  
  
About 20 minutes later the coach came to a halt again. When the doors opened she and runt climbed out and looked around in amazement. They were in the upper town. She looked around and saw that they were on something like the market in the lower town but instead of a few slave stands this whole market place was filled with slave traders.  
  
"Buy you slaves here! Strong slaves perfect for in the mines!  
  
"Dancing Girls! Get your Dancing Girls here!"  
  
"Strong fighting slaves! Trained by field experience! Excellent for small armies!"  
  
"Get your academic slaves here! Cooks, scribes and teachers, we got them all!"  
  
"What do you think Ember?" asked Runt. "I have no idea. Even if we escape now, the security in upper town is so tight that we would never escape." "STOP TALKING!" Ox yelled at them. He was forcing them and the other slaves on a stand at the side of the huge slave market. Then Rudolf started: "Cheap slaves here. Cheap healthy slaves! Get them here! A crowd gather fast. "Probably attracted by the word cheap" Ember thought. She looked around and saw the people inspecting the slaves. A bald man in formal looking clothes walked towards her. He looked at her eyes and ordered her to spin around her axis. He felt her arm and legs and mutter something like "Mmmm, cook's help or maybe servant, she is pretty enough for it. I'll give you 250 gold for her Rudolf." Rudolf eyes widened but before he could accept other people also came standing around them and also started bidding.  
  
"300 gold!" "400 gold!" "600 gold, here!"  
  
Rudolf looked around completely amazed by all the offers.  
  
"10000 gold!"  
  
Everybody looked around completely stunned by the high bid. "Ember? He Em, what's wrong?" Runt asked her. Looking surprised at the girls eyes who were now filled with fear looking at the tree persons in red with silver robes. "It can't be" she thought. "Them again, what do they want of me?" Then everything around her went black.  
  
  
  
She blinked. The darkness around her was starting to fade away.  
  
"Looks she's waking up. He girl are you all right?"  
  
"Huh, Who?" She looked to the right where the voice was coming from and was shocked to see it was a young man in red with silver robes. "No, don't hurt me, please!" she cried. "Huh, why would I want to hurt you?" He asked honestly looking puzzled. "But, you people bought me from Rudolf." She said, now getting confused. "Oh, that the slave trader right? Sorry but it was the only way we could think of getting you out of there. We were very surprised to see you their. If Ylia hadn't been with us we would have no idea it was you. And bye the way if,." "WAIT, why do you people want me so bad anyway?" she asked him. He looked at her surprised again: "Uhmmm, were to begin? Well this is the Society of Spellcraft. We are a organisation of wizards, witches and sorcerers. Ten years ago a young sorceress was attacked bye a rivalling guild. They wiped her memory and wanted to imprint a new one but before they could do that she escaped. You have to understand she was a very powerful sorceress and used her magic instinctively. After her escape she settled in the city. There she gave birth to a young girl. For five years she lived there happily. But then we discovered a newly lit magical source. When we investigated we discovered it was a young girl named Ylia. We had a conversation with the parents and decided that she would join the society and would come with us. Then we felt a very powerful magical presence nearby with powerful anti-scrying enchantments around them. We moved quickly to the source and entered the house. When the woman saw us she screamed and started throwing attack at us, We had no other option then to nock her out. We looked around the house and found a children's room. Strangely an even more powerful magical aura was in that room then we had felt in the woman. Then we hurt the door slam open and ran down the stairs. And well, the rest you should know. I'll leave you now with your thoughts, there is some food on the table, I'll talk to you in the morning." Then he left.  
  
That night Ember cried herself to sleep. 


	6. Planeshift

*** I've decided to try to write each chapter from a single PoV. In case I can't prevent it I will state it clearly when a PoV changes.***  
  
CHAPTER 6  
  
PoV: Runt  
  
He kicked and screamed as he saw the three robed persons carrying Ember away. "Nooooooo, You can't take her! Let her go!" Unfortunately Ox had taken the little kid in some strange strangling hold. He felt the air being pressed out of him, while it became harder to breath.  
  
"Let the kid go!" somebody behind them yelled. Ox turned around still holding him. Runt's eyes widened a bit as he saw a group of ten people all dressed in extremely bright and shiny armour with large white cloaks. All of them had their swords drawn except for the woman in the front who was probably the leader since she had a golden crown circling the grey sword on her shield. Suddenly he heard screams from all over the slave market. He heard Rudolf cursing: "Damn it. The stupid Order again? Ox drop the kid and get them!" He felt dropped to the ground and with the agility of dodging crowds for years he managed a tumble and landed neatly on his feet. "Come on little one, Run!" The woman yelled to him. He ran off the marketplace hearing the ringing sound of two swords meeting behind him. He fled into the first alley he could find, what was pretty hard since the upper city was so rich that they had so many guards that even the alley's were patrolled a lot. But luckily he was small and managed to squeeze between the wall and a carrying chair.  
  
"Aah, there you are" He froze in terror as he heard somebody walk down the alley. He was glad and a bit afraid as he saw the woman who had led the group of warriors early walk in front of his hiding place. She smiled down at him: "Are you staying down there or coming with us?" He blinked at her in surprise: "Uummmm, coming with you? But why would you want to offer me something like that? I mean, I'm small, weak and the only thing I'm good at is hiding. She grinned at him: "Well first of all, helping you is at request of your family. Yes you still have family I will explain it later. Second, size doesn't matter, you're still a kid maybe you stumble on a sudden growth spurt in the next years and there is always magic. Strength can be gained trough training and exercise. And you will be taught new skills during your training." He blinked again: "My training? What kind of training and what about my family? I thought they where all killed in the fire that burned down my house!" She smiled I will explain everything on our way to the Keep. That is, if you want to come." He thought for a while, then came to a decision: "Well, since I won't be able to save Ember now anyway, I'll come with you." She nodded to him: "Excellent. Well come with me." She led him to a beautiful white horse. She mounted the horse and offered him a hand and smiled to him: I'm Lady Alaree, Magister of the Golden Crown, Carrier of the Tear of Life, Paladin of the Order of the Sacred Light. And you Runt or better said Siron are now a Squire of the Order of the Sacred Light, You will be initiated when we arrive at the keep." He looked up at her surprised: "My sisters name was Alaree and you now my real name,. " She looked back at him: "After we helped you fled the burning house the paladins of the order arrived, they managed to save mom and me, she is now a priestess of the order by the way. Unfortunately dad was not so lucky he perished despite the best effort of the healers."  
  
They arrived at a small stone building. He looked around and saw a large flag with a grey sword with white stars surrounding it. "This is the keep?" he asked her rather surprised by the small size off it. "Wait till you get inside." She said to him smiling. He watched the gate swing open. Once everybody was inside the gate closed again and an other gate inside the building swung open. He looked trough the gate and was surprised to see a huge green field with an ever greater castle in the middle. After they went trough the second gate Runt looked back and saw a huge stone wall behind him with wooden gates at regular intervals. Some of them opened and groups of paladins went in or came out. "Welcome to the Castle of true Light. Located conveniently on the Positive Energy Plane. And each gate links us to one of the smaller keeps in each great city on each plane. "SIRON" a young woman came running over the green field. She practically dragged him of the horse and hugged him while crying. "Umm, Miss are you all right?" he asked while blushing. She looked at him surprised: "Of Course, sorry sweetie I forgot that you didn't know. The energy of this plane makes old people young again. That's why you will never see a person older then 25 around here." "Mom?" He asked carefully. She simply nodded and finally he was able to return her hug now he was crying too. He had his family back. Well most of his family, a small piece of his mind he could not forget the sister he left behind in the hands of the robed ones. 


	7. The Academy of the Silver Sound

*** If you want your character in don't forget to include a personality and his/her appearance. Also mention the alignment of your character. ***  
  
CHAPTER 7  
  
PoV: Anya  
  
"A Hot bath! I can't remember the last time I had a hot bath! I can't remember any bath but that's not important. She quickly undressed and slipped into the tub. At that moment Rune walked into the room: "I got some clean clothes and a towel for you,..." He looked at her apparently surprised that she was already in the tub. "Aaaaaahhh, get out PERV!" "I'm sorry!" he said. He chuckled while he dodged a piece of soap she had thrown towards his head. He quickly dropped the clothes and towel and slipped out of the room still chuckling. A few second later a loud noise came from outside the room as if a person was falling down multiple times. "Crud, stupid piece of soap. Why did you have to lie just by the staircase." She heard Rune say. She giggled to herself happy that she had gotten her revenge.  
  
About half an later she was clean and had put on the night gown that rune had brought. Rune smiled as he saw her enter the room again. She felt kind of guilty when she saw the bruises on his face and arms. He offered to brush her hair which happily accepted. They sat down on the bed and Rune started talking to her while brushing her hair: "Tomorrow where going to the Grand Hall. It is located in the upper town. Their you will start your study, first as a bard. You will learn singing, dancing, etiquette, magic and basic combat. Once you got enough experience you can focus on a specialty or learn rarer subjects like the art of the mime, jester, diva or ballerina. The complete training usually takes about four to six years but most leave after their third year to join a adventures party and learn their art by experience. However, you are younger then most new members so you will probably be able to finish you're training before you join a group." A few minutes later Rune was done with her hair and she went to bed. Thinking about what the future had in store for her she fell a sleep and dreamed about brave and handsome princes, wise kings, beautiful queens and fearsome dragons.  
  
"Hey girl, wake up." Rune whispered in her ear. "Le me alone." She muttered and attempted to turn around in her bed. "Hey! Don't go back to sleep. We gotta go to the academy." He said getting a little irritated. "We have to, aaaaaah" he barely managed to dodge the pillow that was thrown at him. "I wanna go back to sleep" she muttered again and buried herself under her blanket. "Enough! Watorin Selsoris Paron!" The words hadn't left Rune mouth yet or a small rain cloud formed above Anya bed and happily started raining completely soaking the bed. "Aaaaaahhhh!!!!! Cold cold cold."She screamed while jumping out of the bed. The little rain cloud cheerfully followed her around the room still pouring water on her. "Enough Anya?" Rune asked the soaked girl. "Yes, I'm awake! Make it stop" she yelled at him. "All right, Watorin Seloris Nullifus!" And with that the rain cloud disappeared. Rune grabbed the towel he had taken with him especially for this case. "Here dry up and then get dressed there are some clothes on the chair." He said while he threw the towel to her. "Thanks now get out!" She yelled at him. "Shees, you'd think I've done something wrong to her." He muttered to himself while he walked out of the room.  
  
Thirty minutes later she came out of the room, her hair brushed neatly and she wore the blue dress Rune had conjured for her. Rune grinned at her: "We'll get breakfast at the academy." Rune hold the door open for a now blushing Anya, (nobody had ever done that for her) and a beautiful red with white carriage was waiting for them. They rode trough the city with curtains closed. She wondered why but was still to angry at Rune to ask him. After a while they arrived at a building that looked like it had been cut out of one piece of huge marble. "Come, I'll show you one of the arts before I show you you're room." Rune said to her smiling. As usual her curiosity got the better of her and she followed Rune trough the many halls. Some were empty while in others people where discussing music, philosophy, politics and magic. In others people were practising magic, singing, dancing and combat. "All Right we are here." Rune said to her. They had entered a completely silent room. There were people here wearing black and white make up and clothes pretending to use objects that weren't there. She looked at two who were pretending to be sword fighting. Her eyes widened as on of the attackers seemed to hit and a real wound appeared on the spot where he was hit. Two others were practising archery one threw up a space glass sphere and the other tried to shoot it down. At first nothing happened but suddenly one of the sphere shattered. The two mimes, as she had now figured out what these people where doing, silently cheered. One of them did a spell without saying any words. Suddenly Rune gave her a nudge and pointed to the exit. She nodded to him and they left the room. "That was amazing." She said cheerful: "I can't wait till I can't learn stuff like that." "Well, you still need a lot of training before you can do that." Rune said smiling because of her enthusiasm. "Well this is the door to you're room. As you complete training and arts extra marking will be added to you're door so everybody can see how good you are. Tomorrow we will start you're lessons so I will give you the rest of the day to explore the academy. If you need to know anything just ask a member." And with that Rune walked away. She opened the door and walked into her new life. 


	8. Anya goes to the baths

A/N Well after almost a year a new chapter. I just wrote this so that everybody knows that this story isn't dead yet.  
  
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Kriff looked curiously around the room. He had been blindfolded on the trip to the guild house and only in this room had the blindfold been removed. He was standing in a strange looking room with five corners and a high roof. There were no windows and the sealing appeared to be covered with spider webbings. In each corner of the room was a pillar, each pillar had caring of spiders on them together with some runes that Kriff couldn't recognize, not that he had ever learned to read anyway. He looked around for an exit when a familiar presence entered his mind.  
  
She was in total shock of all the evil she felt in this room. Even when she battled the liche she hadn't felt so much evil. It must have gathered over the years, and that means that this is probably a place of worship to some evil deity. She had to get out of here, no matter the cost. Again she attempted to take control of the young boys body but this time she found his mind fighting her off.  
  
Kriff was furious, "It's trying to take control of me again. I shouldn't have brought it." he thought to himself. "Last time I lost Runt to the slaver and now,....." suddenly he felt the fore that tried to take control of him fade away and was replaced with a soft woman's voice.  
  
Aura was struggling hard when she picked up one of his surface thoughts, "Slaver". Immediately her will to fight was drained away. Carefully trying not to scare the child again she reached out with a bit of her consciousness and send a words to the boy: "Slaver?"  
  
The sudden change of emotion overtook Kriff a little bit be quickly got his mind in focus again: "Yes, Slaver!" he thought while noticing how difficult it is to scream in your mind. He paced around the room remembering how Runt was caught because the sword had worked against him again.  
  
Aura was struggling again, but with her own conscience now, every part of her heart screamed at her for helping a slaver, while her mind though tried to tell her she had done the right thing by saving a human live. As usual, her heart won the battle: "Boy? Are you still there?" Kriff noticed the sudden hesitation in her voice and decided that for some reason she was shocked: "The name is Kriff." She felt relieved although she didn't know why: "Look i'm sorry about what I did. I though you were trying to kill an innocent merchant." Kriff felt his anger rising again: "Innocent? That treacherous son-of-a-....., wait, do you mean that you don't know what is going on around me when your not in control of my body?" Aura was happy, the boy was very observant: "No, Not like that. But every time I take over is very draining, because I have to keep your mental barriers away, which are very strong. I usually fall asleep and only wake up a long time later. When I woke up last time I saw you preparing to attack the slaver, although I didn't know that at the time. Look I'm really Sor,..... Somebody is coming! Quickly put me back behind you belt."  
  
Kriff quickly put the sword back and not a second to late because a well hidden door in one of the walls opened up and three persons walked in. They first to were tall, about the size of an adult and both wore heavy cloaks that had hoods over their heads hiding their faces in the shadow. The third one was smaller and seemed to be of Kriff his age, but this ones identity was hidden too. The looked at Kriff as though they were measuring him for something but since they didn't saw anything Kriff decided to start talking: "Excuse me, uhm, gentlemen. But could you tell me what this is,..."  
  
"SILENCE MALE! You will we addressed when we are ready." The voice from one of the taller ones was obviously female and had a hard cold sound to it. But it had more then sufficient impact to silence Kriff for the time being. After a while the smaller one, who's voice sounded also female, started talking to the two taller ones in a cold sounding language that Kriff couldn't understand. The two taller ones talked back and Kriff came to the conclusion that they were all female. A loosened grip on their cloaks had already told him that they wore black leather armour and carried a lot of weapons. The smaller one walked around him a couple off times as if she was inspecting him when she turned back to the other two woman and said something to them in their own language. The other two nodded and walked out of the room. The smaller walked towards him and threw her cloak off. She was about his age in size but had pointy ears and almond shaped eyes, like an elf. But the most interesting thing was that her skin was jet black, her eyes were red and her long hair that wend down to around the middle of her back was white. Kriff realised that she was a Drow. He knew little about them, and only knew what Anya had told him. The Girl was still looking at him, obviously trying to figure out what he was thinking until she got enough of that: "All Right Male, My name is Maylene'dia of Ara'bund, In public you will address me as Maylene'dia, But while training, May will do. You are now my new training partner for becoming an assassin, if you manage to stay alive you will become part of the guild. But don't get your hopes up, the last one only lasted three months before I, uhm, accidentally killed him. Now follow me and I will show you the place that will be your sleeping spot for the next couple of years." And with that she walked away followed by a very confused Kriff.  
  
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Anya was dreaming her beautiful dreams about legends when suddenly: "AAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Cold!" She screamed while jumping out of her bed soaked in cold water. She quickly looked around the room: "All Right! The one who is responsible for this better show himself soon before I get really MAD!!" Only silence followed. When suddenly her finely attuned ears detected a soft chuckling coming from above her, she quickly looked up and saw a boy a little bit older then her sitting on a floating stick. His eyes went wide when he saw Anya make a jump for him but only managing to knock the stick under him away making them both fall on the bed: "I'll get you for this boy!" she growled at the now confused boy. The boy tried the dodge Anya but she was already sitting on top off him, he now looked a bit afraid: "Wow, Relax! PEACE! It was just a warm welcome." Anya looked surprised at him: "Warm? I'm bloody cold!" shivering due to the fact that she was wearing soaking wet cold clothes. The boy smiled at her: "I'll show you were you can get a hot bath and he rolled off the bed and walked out the door. Anya looked surprised for a second but came to the conclusion that a hot bath was better than revenge, for now.  
  
A couple of minutes later the walked down the hallway the boy suddenly stopped and smiled: "I haven't introduced myself yet, I'm Roy Filun Elere, student court jester although my teachers keep telling me that I have no talent at it at all and should become a mime. This is my second year at the academy. You must be one of the youngest students ever. How old are you anyway? I'm 12." Anya was giggling because of the rambling by the boy walking next to her: "I'm Anya, I'm eight years old and I,...." That was as far as she got before he interrupted again: "Wow! Only eight and already in the academy. You must be really lucky, and not to forget you were selected by Maestro Lurye himself." Anya got confused: "Who?" Now Roy looked at her with a slight look of surprise on his face: "You don't know who's Maestro Lurye? But I thought that all the members of nobility knew that." Now Anya got even more confused: "Nobility? I'm don't have blue blood." "You don't??? But your a half-elf, only nobility is allowed to have children with elves. Who were your parents then?" the boy asked, now also confused. "I have NO idea who my parents were!" she answered rather annoyed, questions about her past irritated her. Roy, apparently noticed her irritation decided not to go on about it, instead her changed the subject because he had noticed that they had entered the hallway were the apprentice bath's were located: "We've arrived at the baths Milady." He said with a small bow and quickly rushing forward so that he could open the door for her. Anya blushed and quickly hid it by looking down and quickly rushed inside. She came to a halt in the middle of a beautiful glistering room, her senses, enhanced by the time spend as a thief immediately noticed four exits, the entry she had just passed trough, the openings in the walls on her left and right and a large opening in the wall ahead of her, through the last one came warm steam and the chatter of voices, both male and female, could be heard. When she heard a door slam shut she quickly spun around and felt her eyes widen when she saw that Roy had also entered: "What do you think you're doing?" She hissed at him. He smiled at her and pointed at a picture above the large opening on which a men and woman were pictured: "Shared bath's." Anya felt her face turn even more crimson: "I'm not sharing a bath with you!!!" Roy grinned and raised his shoulders: "There are personal baths too. They are located behind the changing rooms." Now he pointed at two pictures above the openings on the left and right, one pictured a woman and the other one a man. You'll come to your senses later though, usually only new students use the personal baths." And with that he walked away into the male side off the room.  
  
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A/N Well, my computer is now officially dead. Smoke was coming out of it and my motherboard died a dead, even struggling for a few minutes to stay alive, which gave me the time to make some back-up and save some important data. I'm really sorry to everybody but posting will be incredibly irregular and rare the upcoming months since I can only post on school and in internet café's. Sorry to everybody. Anyway, Post fun stories and of course: R&R! 


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